Not too very long ago it would have been Facebook that was the social media network of choice for many business owners. More recently, however, Instagram is starting to catch up. It’s trendier, cooler and you don’t get bombarded with useless advertising. Business owners, both big and small, are using it to connect with prospective customers and increase awareness of their brand. It might seem like all you have to do is post relevant pictures, but it’s more sophisticated than that, especially if you want to stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips to get you started.
Set Up a Business Instagram Account
If you’ve already got a personal Instagram account, you’ll need a separate one for your business. Keep your vacation selfies and snaps of your latest dinner out for your personal account! Instead, use your business account for information that will be relevant to your customers and target market. To help boost your Instagram presence you’ll need to:
- Include a link to your website – your bio will be the best place, which is under your name and description
- Choose a name that’s recognizable – preferably the same as the one you use for your business across other social media channels
- Hook followers with an interesting bio – don’t be too “salesy”
Create Posts That Users Want to Follow
Instagram is an image-centric platform, which is why it lends itself well to businesses such as photographers and artists. Humans happen to be hard-wired to process visual information better than the written word. An image is far more likely to generate likes than a post that is mostly text. However, be careful to avoid the hard sell. Choose creative and professional photos to promote your products. Don’t over crop or post blurred images. Take advantage of the many Instagram editing tools to make your photos stand out.
Actively Participate on the Platform
The most important rule to follow when promoting your business in social media is to be involved. Follow other like-minded people, brands, and industry influencers. Don’t be afraid to make use of the comment section of yours and others posts. Respond promptly to any comments.
If you want help to increase your marketing efforts on any social media channels, there are a wealth of experts who will be willing to help. The good thing about paying someone to help with your marketing, advertising or promotions is that the costs are deductible. To know more about this kind of tax break, you should speak to a reputable company like Tax Return.
Instagram is starting to gather a significant number of followers. Get in early, and you’ll be able to ride the wave. You may think about getting the best Instagram bot to achieve rapid success. There are also a number of different ways a small business can make use of it to collect leads and gather information. It brings some great benefits, such as connecting with customers, understanding what they like, reaching new audiences and it helps to fuel your other marketing channels. You do need to be a little more strategic in your approach, but if you follow the basics, much like you do with any other channels, you’ll be well on the way to success.
Founder Dinis Guarda
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